Shoujo? Hell No!
by Lexmarker
Summary: Kenshin is a struggling manga-ka trying to make a name for himself. He needs inspiration, and he needs it fast. Maybe a certain high-school kendo girl can help him out...


Disclaimer: I think that the FF. net staff has already covered all the legal bases, but It won't hurt to put this up either. I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Getting Started Chapter 1

Kenshin sighed as he stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of him. "Man, why can't I come up with anything?" he muttered, frustrated. Two years as an assistant draftsman for one of Japan's most highly respected manga-ka were doing zip for him right now. "Alright, focus, Kenshin. You still have one week before your deadline, and it's only filler. Nothing to worry about." Kenshin said to himself, trying to reassure himself. The neophyte artist for Weekly Asuka knew that he was pushing his luck, though. He'd barely been there a week, and with a hundred other novice artists just waiting for an opening in the popular girl's magazine, Kenshin knew that one slip-up could cost him any hope of moving up in the company. It was only through the power of his Sensei's name that he had gotten this far, and from here on end, it was up to him to impress the brass.

"Alright, Kenshin, just the cover. It's not too tough, you can do it..." he said, willing his hand to obey the electric impulses from his brain. "Of course, it's only the most important and publicized part of your comic, and that no matter what your content is, the artist who makes a boring or unappealing cover will cut of 95 of his target audience, baka-deshi." the voice of his former-teacher echoing in his head. "Thanks a lot, Hiko-shishou." Kenshin grumbled, knowing that he would not get any work done tonight. Sighing once more, he stood up from his desk and wandered to his apartment's mini-fridge. Maybe there was some more of that "Jolt Cola" left from when his friend Sano visited the U.S.

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Kaoru, hurry up!" a ticked off Makimachi Misao said, tapping her foot impatiently. "Just wait a second." a stressed-out Kaoru snapped, as she fumbled in her bag for money. "The train's leaving in five minutes. Just pay the guy and let's go!!!" Miso yelled, her focus switching from her friend and the bullet train that was just pulling up to the station. "I know, I know, hold on!" Kaoru replied, her face brightening as she found a few crumpled ¥1000 notes in the bottom of her book bag. "Here you go sir." Kaoru said, giving a quick smile to the newsstand owner. "Cutting it close again, aren't we, Kamiya-san?" the elderly man chuckled. "Oh, you know it, Mister Hayashi." Kaoru replied, giving a quick bow before hurrying off to join Misao before the throng of morning commuters. "About time!" Misao said, as Kaoru grabbed her hand as they started for the turnstiles.

"Kamiya-san, you forgot something again." a voice said behind the pair. "Oi!" Misao groaned and Kaoru suddenly stopped suddenly. "Oh, not again." Kaoru muttered under her breath as she slapped her forehead. She turned and quickly jogged to the train station's newsstand. "Kamiya-san, you've been my loyal customer for eight years now, but you haven't changed a bit." Mr. Hayashi said as he held out a plastic bag for the girl. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Hayashi. I guess it's just the way my mind works." Kaoru quickly apologized, then shifted gears, briskly walking in Misao direction.

"Are you done yet?" Misao said sweetly, her smile a bit too sugary for Kaoru's taste. "Um, yeah?" Kaoru said, not knowing what to expect. "Good...BECAUSE THE TRAIN'S LEAVING IN ONE MINUTE!!!" Misao screamed, grabbing her friend's wrist and dragging the surprised Kaoru through the train station.

Already, the stampede of sararimen, shoppers, students, and bewildered gaijin had choked the train entrances. The overstressed conductors were already shoving the morning crowds into the train cars, the mass of human beings moving with only the thought of packing themselves into the oversized sardine can. "Dammit! Too...many...people!" Misao squeezed out. "You're telling me!" Kaoru said, scanning the train for any sign of an open space. And like a glorious beacon from the gods, a space just barely enough for two high-school juniors presented itself. "Misao, look!!!" Kaoru exclaimed excitedly. "I see it! C'mon!" Misao cried. Using their book bags as a wedge, the two teenage commuters used their well-practiced technique against the crowd. "Oww!" "HEY!" "Watch it!" Various people yelled as Kaoru and Misao cut through the mob like a hot knife through butter. "Just a few more feet." Misao said triumphantly.

Just as the two girls passed the gauntlet, a navy blur cut them off. Where the empty space was a second ago, a tall, cold-looking man now stood. "Hey, you jerk!" Misao began, furious that this trench-coat wearing man had outmaneuvered the ultimate subway technique. This tall, dark, mysterious, handsome, frosty man, a little voice in Misao's head started. But before she could get any angrier or dwell on the rude, but dashing, man, any longer, a shrill whistle snapped her out of her thoughts. "Sorry, but the train's reached it's max." the conductor said swiftly, as the train's warning lights began to blink, and the automated voice from the speakers cautioned the remaining commuters to step away from the entrances.

15 Minutes Later:

"Oh man..." Kaoru whined dejectedly as the two girls sat on a bench, waiting for a bus. "Oooh, that jerk in the blue trench coat. How'd he get by the 'Kaoru-Misao Subway Special' like that? I can't believe it." Misao grumbled. "Well, no use crying over it now. At least we're early for the bus." Kaoru said, trying to look on the bright side. "But we'll still be late for homeroom." Misao replied, twirling her braid in her finger. "Yeah. Sorry about the delay, though. If I hadn't stopped to buy that manga, we could've made the train." Kaoru apologized, staring at the plastic bag near her book bag. "Heh, we've been doing this for as long as we've known each other, Kao-chan. Don't worry, I'm used to it." Misao replied, smiling at her friend. Kaoru grinned slightly, thankful that her friend understood. "Well, it's just that I've been subscribing to Weekly Asuka for years now, and, you know, I guess it's just one of my bad habits." Kaoru confessed.

Misao only shrugged and kept on playing with her hair. "Not so much bad habit as an addiction." Misao teased. Really, who would have guessed Kaoru, captain of the school's J.V. volleyball team, newspaper editor, regionally acclaimed painter and all around good girl to be a manga-freak? "Hey, it's just one magazine. It's not as if I go out and spend all my money on the stuff." Kaoru said, waving her hands in defense. "You know I'm just kidding, Kao-chan." Miso joked, nudging her friend.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Kenshin was restless. As a manga artist, he was more of a night owl than a morning person, but thanks to Sano's barbarian cola, his schedule was totally thrown of, and he woke up a full three hours earlier than usual. "Man, that's the last time I ever take anything of Sano's." Kenshin thought to himself, feeling as if he had a really bad case of jetlag. Seeing as he wouldn't get any work done at home, Kenshin decided that he might as well go grocery shopping and maybe pick up some new toner and nibs while he was awake.

The bus he was ridding on had finally reached his stop, and Kenshin struggled to bring his body off of the nice soft bus seat. "Never ever drink whatever Sano gives you again." Kenshin mumbled himself a promise. He dragged his feet to the bus door. "Watch your head. Have a nice day, sir." the driver said as he opened the hydraulic double doors. Kenshin muttered a thank you and nodded his head a bit. He wasn't really paying any attention to what was in front of him and bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry." a girl's voice said. Kenshin turned too see who was speaking to him. "Hmm, oh, oh no. I wasn't looking. No need to apologize." Kenshin said to the high schooler that hit him, waving his hand. "C'mon, Kaoru. I don't want to miss this ride either!" another girl wearing the same seifuku said. "Alright Misao." Kaoru said, running to meet her friend.

Kenshin watched the girl step into the bus. In his mind, he made a mental note of her. "Hmm, your typical, pretty young adolescent between the ages of 10 and 18. Just the kind of demographic our magazine targets." Kenshin thought. Maybe he would make a character later on and he could base it on her. Other than consigning the girl to a maybe role in his next comic, Kenshin was about to drop the thought of the girl entirely when he suddenly found himself loosing balance and falling to the ground.

"Ororo!?!" Kenshin said as he caught himself just before he fell face-first on the ground. "What the?" he began, feeling his feet were caught on something. A plastic bag had caught onto his shoe and tripped the manga artist. "Humph." Kenshin groaned, reaching down to untangle his feet.

"What's this now?" Kenshin said, noticing that the bag had something inside. Feeling the odd corners, Kenshin realized that the plastic held a magazine. Kenshin sat himself on the pavement and opened the bag. He chuckled to himself when he saw the title of the manga. "Weekly Asuka. Whoda' thunk?" Kenshin said to himself, a small smirk on his mouth. He noticed there was some writing on the back. It was a supplier's hold box.

"Hold for Kamiya, Kaoru..." it said.

"Kamiya Kaoru..." Kenshin whispered. "I wonder if she'll miss this?" Kenshin thought. Shrugging, Kenshin dusted himself off and tucked the magazine under his arm. This mystery subscriber would have to wait for later. Right now, he needed to get some art supplies.

Notes:  
So, you like? Review, please! 


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